Weaving Stories, Curating Memories

Coffee Date

Today is seventh and final day of Write Tribe Festival of Words#6. Today’s prompt : If we were having coffee…This is not a typical fiction with a proper beginning, middle and end but just a conversation. The author in me was sitting in the corner of the coffee shop with my laptop breaking my head trying to write something on today’s given prompt and then probably I overheard this conversation or perhaps imagined. I hope my readers enjoy this as much as I loved writing this. Thanks to all of you for visiting, liking and commenting on my posts during WTFOW#6. Hope to see you all again soon. Do keep visiting, we have now formed a bonding.

She: What would you have?

He: Filter coffee.

She: Why do you always have filter coffee? At home also you drink the same.

He: Yes, because I am a South Indian. I love my filter coffee.

She: How boring.

He: What would you have?

She: Darjeeling tea, without milk and sugar.

He: Exclude tea leaves also (laughs).

She: Very funny! (Makes face).

He: How do you drink this tasteless tea?

She: Exactly the same way how you drink your filter coffee (laughs). I love the flavour of Darjeeling tea. Milk spoils the flavour and sugar increases calories. So, I prefer it without sugar and milk. And it is not at all tasteless. (smiles)

He: Understood! But what is so special about its flavour. It seems like normal tea.

She: Only a Bong, like me, can appreciate Darjeeling tea not a filter coffee drinking South Indian (giggles).

He: That was racist.

She: I don’t care (shrugs her shoulders with a grin on her face).

He: What should I order for breakfast?

She: Who is going to pay the bills today? You or me?

He: You (laughs) I only have thirty rupees in my pocket. Oops!! I spent Rs 10/ on tea. So I have only twenty rupees left and I need Rs 18 for my auto fare. So, that leaves me with two rupees.

She: (Rolls her eyes) you are such a miser!! How many Swiss Bank accounts do you have?

He: I am not miser but when I am with a rich lady like you then who bothers to pay the bills.

She: Me and rich?? I am not even working. You call a jobless woman rich?

He: You are married to a business tycoon (His eyes twinkle while saying this).

She: He is no tycoon-shycoon, and even if he was that doesn’t make a difference. That is his money not mine. (There is suddenly sadness in her face)

He: (Tries to divert the topic) Okay, so let’s order English breakfast.

She: They serve bacon and beef sausages in English breakfast. I cannot eat beef and you cannot eat pork, so what’s the point ordering.

He: Never mind, you eat the bacon from my plate and I will eat the sausages from yours.

Wooooow! Mesmerised , absolutely and completely. What a lively and real conversation . I am sad that the girl (like most married girls) doesn’t feel entitled to spend her husband’s money as her own . The friend isn’t rich but what a rich friendship , notwithstanding the huge religious divide .

I think they are falling for each other and the sadness on her face struck me…a tale of one’s fate sealed with Mr Money bags by parents. Love Moon’s wording, rich friendship. It’s lacking in today’s times. Loved the conversation weaved in a rich manner and full of life.

Are they?? It could be simple friendship also..maybe they are long lost friends or just acquaintances..why restrict relationships to conventional ‘love’..thanks for liking the story and your thoughtful comment Vishal.

Or may be they meet as strangers who saw each other in a wedding, he asked he number and meet as friends in the coffee shop. They become amazing friends but start falling for each other. It becomes complicated not to the world but themselves…I dunno.

Yes…it can have numerous interpretations…and I often go and sit in a small Parsi cafe near my house to read books or write something…or simply watch people…I love to watch people..I often try to read their stories..

I have a friend who’s a miser (not really) but he barely spends if with me. This conversation reminded me of him. Long live such friendships. Loved your post. Lively conversation. I could imagine this happening in a cafe with the smell of coffee and good breakfast all around.